400 million people live with alcohol, drug use disorders globally: WHO
The highest proportion (13%) of alcohol-attributable deaths in 2019 were among young people aged 20–39 years.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), last week, released data on alcohol and substance use that said alcohol use claims 2.6 million lives per year globally, accounting for 4.7% of all deaths. Of these 2.6 million deaths, 2 million were men.
The report titled “Global status report on alcohol and health and treatment of substance use disorders” provides a comprehensive update based on 2019 data on the public health impact of alcohol and drug use and the situation with alcohol consumption and treatment of substance use disorders worldwide.
An estimated 400 million people live with alcohol and drug use disorders globally. Of this, 209 million people lived with alcohol dependence.
This data is important for a country like India because the death rates due to alcohol consumption per litre of alcohol consumed are highest in low-income countries and lowest in high-income countries. India falls in the former category and alcohol use is a major public health concern for our resource-strapped country as it can lead to several serious diseases.
As per the report of first comprehensive National Survey released last year, on the extent and pattern of substance use in India conducted by department of social justice and empowerment through the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi, alcohol is the most common psychoactive substance used by Indians followed by cannabis and opioids.
WHO data show, that of all deaths attributable to alcohol in 2019, an estimated 1.6 million deaths were from noncommunicable diseases, including 474 000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 401, 000 from cancer.
Some 724, 000 deaths were due to injuries, such as those from traffic accidents, self-harm and interpersonal violence.
Another 284,000 deaths were linked to communicable diseases. For example, alcohol consumption has been shown to increase the risk of HIV transmission resulting from an increased risk of unprotected sex and by increasing the risk of TB infection and mortality by suppressing a wide range of immune responses.
The highest proportion (13%) of alcohol-attributable deaths in 2019 were among young people aged 20–39 years.
The productive population falling prey to alcoholism and substance abuse can put a humongous financial burden in the long run, said experts. The worst part is that this harm that is being done is entirely preventable.
Since 2020, India has been implementing Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan in all districts with an aim to create awareness about the ill effects of substance abuse among the youth, with a special focus on higher education institutes, university campuses, schools and reaching out to the community and garnering community involvement and ownership of the Abhiyaan. Creating awareness about the harm it does to the body and the financial burden it places is crucial in managing the crisis in the long run.
"Substance use severely harms individual health, increasing the risk of chronic diseases, and mental health conditions, and tragically resulting in millions of preventable deaths every year. It places a heavy burden on families and communities, increasing exposure to accidents, injuries, and violence," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
"To build a healthier, more equitable society, we must urgently commit to bold actions that reduce the negative health and social consequences of alcohol consumption and make treatment for substance use disorders accessible and affordable."
The World Health Organisation (WHO), last week, released data on alcohol and substance use that said alcohol use claims 2.6 million lives per year globally, accounting for 4.7% of all deaths. Of these 2.6 million deaths, 2 million were men.
The report titled “Global status report on alcohol and health and treatment of substance use disorders” provides a comprehensive update based on 2019 data on the public health impact of alcohol and drug use and the situation with alcohol consumption and treatment of substance use disorders worldwide.
An estimated 400 million people live with alcohol and drug use disorders globally. Of this, 209 million people lived with alcohol dependence.
This data is important for a country like India because the death rates due to alcohol consumption per litre of alcohol consumed are highest in low-income countries and lowest in high-income countries. India falls in the former category and alcohol use is a major public health concern for our resource-strapped country as it can lead to several serious diseases.
As per the report of first comprehensive National Survey released last year, on the extent and pattern of substance use in India conducted by department of social justice and empowerment through the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi, alcohol is the most common psychoactive substance used by Indians followed by cannabis and opioids.
WHO data show, that of all deaths attributable to alcohol in 2019, an estimated 1.6 million deaths were from noncommunicable diseases, including 474 000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 401, 000 from cancer.
Some 724, 000 deaths were due to injuries, such as those from traffic accidents, self-harm and interpersonal violence.
Another 284,000 deaths were linked to communicable diseases. For example, alcohol consumption has been shown to increase the risk of HIV transmission resulting from an increased risk of unprotected sex and by increasing the risk of TB infection and mortality by suppressing a wide range of immune responses.
The highest proportion (13%) of alcohol-attributable deaths in 2019 were among young people aged 20–39 years.
The productive population falling prey to alcoholism and substance abuse can put a humongous financial burden in the long run, said experts. The worst part is that this harm that is being done is entirely preventable.
Since 2020, India has been implementing Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan in all districts with an aim to create awareness about the ill effects of substance abuse among the youth, with a special focus on higher education institutes, university campuses, schools and reaching out to the community and garnering community involvement and ownership of the Abhiyaan. Creating awareness about the harm it does to the body and the financial burden it places is crucial in managing the crisis in the long run.
"Substance use severely harms individual health, increasing the risk of chronic diseases, and mental health conditions, and tragically resulting in millions of preventable deaths every year. It places a heavy burden on families and communities, increasing exposure to accidents, injuries, and violence," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
"To build a healthier, more equitable society, we must urgently commit to bold actions that reduce the negative health and social consequences of alcohol consumption and make treatment for substance use disorders accessible and affordable."
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